Has Prince Edward Dethroned Prince Philip as the King of Gaffes?

According to Guy Ritchie, the last time Princess Beatrice stopped by his London pub the Punch Bowl, the barflies mistook the Princess for Cheryl Cole, one of Simon Cowell's pop sensation creations. No word if confused Punch Bowl patrons demanded a tune from the royal.Prince Edward has sparked a bit of controversy this week. Son of Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh, the Prince is in Australia to help mark the 50th anniversary of his father's Duke of Edinburgh Awards, a program that promotes fitness, community service, and outdoor expeditions. Fielding a question about a 17-year-old Australian boy who died while completing a Duke of Edinburgh trek, Prince Edward noted that during the program's early years, a young British participant's death had been great for their image. "[The award's] reputation among young people was, 'Wow, this is serious. You could die doing this,'" said the bumbling prince. Horrified with Edward's insensitive comments, some sources have cattily pointed out that in his 20s, the Prince quit his Royal Marines training because it was too difficult. Someone should tell Prince Edward he lacks the old-boy je ne sais quoi that allows his father to get away with gaffe after gaffe.

Attending a dance performance in The Hague, Princess Maxima of the Netherlands looked stunning in a strapless gown and a large strand of black pearls. Her husband, Prince Willem-Alexandercertainly thought so, as he happily snapped pictures of his wife. The Prince looked quite fashionable himself in a sharp tuxedo and on-point velvet bow tie.